The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

We listened to music in your dorm room early into the morning as the empathogens from the night faded. You played this Lauren Hill album. We talked about family. We talked about friends. We talked about love. We talked about your early life in Botswana. When the song To Zion came on, we became silent as it felt like the world stopped for us to listen. It was the most beautiful song I had heard. Soon the dorm came to life and it was time for me to go. That was our first and last time meeting. It was my first and last time listening to this song. It was the last time until today. This was the most beautiful song I've heard. I can't remember being this touched by a song before. Ten stars.

avoids melody like she avoids tax

This album was everywhere when it was released, the hype was crazy. It was hailed as this ground breaking thing, the best of the best, it won all the awards. It's decent enough, a fairly pleasant listen, but I never did understand why all the over the top praise for it. It's fine.

Went on for too long.

Listened to tool instead

Lauryn Hill is iconic in her genre, and this is her most iconic album. A great inspiration for a lot of RnB and Hip Hop artists in the 00s and 10s. Many people may dislike the skits, but it adds to the narrative here, which has a complex backdrop of different samples and instruments, overlayed on hard kicks and beats that you expect from Hip Hop / R n B. All of it blends to give a truly 00s sound ahead of it's time. I could give a break down of every song but it would take too many words. Just know that there is a lot of range here, there is everything from acoustic guitar and gospel over beats, to more funky soulful tracks. I love this album if you haven't noticed already.

Great stuff. A great mix of different genres. Heard elements of Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Bob Marley etc. It's got really good flow throughout the whole album too. Ex Factor and Doo Wop stand out but no miss on the whole album. A shame it was her only solo studio album, maybe she felt like she couldn't top it.

Nowhere near as good as people think it is. 3 or 4 decent songs the rest is filler. A bang average R&B album.

Really disappointed with this, expected it to blow me away but found it mostly annoying

A real struggle to get through. Headache-inducing and painful to listen to (not in a good way). Faves-Forgive Them Father slightly less grating than some of the others. Actually, second half of the album may be a little less irritating. Still absolutely hated it, overall.

By 1998, I was pretty much out of tune with a lot of mainstream American culture. Obviously, not to the point where I didn’t know who Lauryn Hill or the Fugees were, this record and The Score were massively popular among my peers at my Catholic high school, but I was going to see punk and hardcore shows for $5 or $7 at the local VFW. The idea of following what was popular or which star was on top week to week was futile and uninteresting to me. It’s just not the lane I operated in. Still isn’t, as a matter of fact. So, as I listen to this record, I’m finding it well crafted, well performed (I always thought Lauryn Hill had a fantastic voice) and engaging. It has held up extremely well for a 25 year old record. It’s definitely enjoyable and I understand why it was and still is considered great. I think maybe the classroom interstitial breaks are a little overdone and the flow of the record is stilted as a result, but that’s a minor complaint. The thing is, music like this doesn’t really resonate with me like it does for a lot of the world. I don’t know why that is. I love a lot of hip hop, r&b, and soul music. It is something I think about a lot: what is it about some well produced, objectively great popular music that doesn’t move the needle for me? Maybe it’s that even when it’s making a bold statement like the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill does, it still feels…kind of safe? That could be a great strength, though, like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. (Huh, wow…that metaphor literally just came up in “Forgive them Father” - I might be closer to the truth than I thought). Maybe I need to take that view for a record like this. Yes, it is designed to appeal to as many people as possible, but it’s got a message that subverts and questions cultural norms…and that is an important an admirable trait for a record to have.

This album is a masterpiece. Lauryn Hill's transcendent talent is on full display with top notch songwriting, beat-making, arranging, lyricism, singing, and rapping. The music is personal, political, and utterly self-assured. Her blend of hip hop innovation and classic soul/pop sensibilities has left a monumental legacy evident in artists ranging from Kayne West to Janelle Monae. Favourite track: Too many to name, but I can never get enough of "Ex-Factor"

I had my expectations set way too high for this one. It has some really lovely moments but you have to sit through some really boring moments to get to them. I will try revisiting when I'm stoned later and see if that changes anything.

Not a fan of this, I'm getting bored listening to it.

starts off sounding like lofi then becomes funny woman rap..... k. second track pretty good. i guess the third track is ok. fith track is shit :). everything lowkey starting to sound the same. track 12 has a good backing i wanna say its a violoin but like its ruined by shit and isnt enough. holy shit too many repeated lrlishs please help stop -please. right i know you baught a drum mechiene but i dont care please use somehting elese please. the ends allright i guess but still shit album shit house 0/10. but accualy its fine i guess not my thing but yea still personlay its a but too much of the same and becasue its stuff of the same that i dont reely like its not good so still 2/10

made my morning feel like a month

I bought tickets to Soulfest 2015 in Sydney almost solely because Lauryn Hill was scheduled. I was devastated when the festival was cancelled a week out. But earlier this year I saw Lauryn Hill perform a Miseducation 25th anniversary show in Sydney. She had the flu and almost no voice. She apologized profusely, sang mostly in her lower register, and by the end of the show her rapping sounded like a member of the Wu-Tang Clan. But Lauryn Hill on her worst day (and I'm sure she would think this was one of her worst shows) was awesome. She gave a performance that left everything out on the floor. She was gracious, generous, and giving to the audience. I am firmly of the belief that Lauryn hill is one of the great artist of our time, and that is mainly on the basis of this album. The songwriting is personal without being self-obsessed, and covers an encyclopedia of emotions. The tunes are great. She can sing like an angel, and her flow is outstanding. There is so much in here, Even the deep cuts are gems that offer up a lot. I often drop 'Lost Ones' into my DJ sets; it wasn't a hit, but it bangs. This album helped restore my faith in hip-hop, after nearly a decade of increasingly violent gangsta albums. I could live without the skits (a common complaint with hip hop albums), but otherwise, this is as close to perfect album as I could imagine. I could listen to it every day. At the show, she did say she had more music and that it would get released, and I really hope that is true. Miseducation is a wonderful album encompassing the concerns of a young woman, and Lauryn Hill has a place in history even if she never releases another else. But I believe that she has another album this good in her that could speak to her experiences as a more mature woman. I would _love_ to hear that. I hope we all get to hear it. Can't wait.

Doo Wop (that thing) is a cracking track... The rest of this album gets boring real quick. Urgh. The cover songs are genuinely awful.

I remember this being really popular when it came out, but I thought it was shit. It was everywhere for some reason. Yeah, still shit. Just boring rap/r&b, riddled with dumb skits and of fucking COURSE it goes for over an hour. Didn't anyone in this genre take any interest in quality control after about 1993? Fuck's sake. 2/5.

Way worse than I remembered it to be

Could this album be any longer? I get that this is a progressive album hearing life perspectives from the female side, and the whole classroom vibe at the end of some of the songs being about learning fitting into the vibe of the album cover and title. But sheesh it gave me a headache and almost put me to sleep at work. Any way something could have been cut from it's 77 minute track list? Best: Can't Take My Eyes Off You (I Love You Baby) Worst: When It Hurts So Bad

Most overrated album of the last decades

What do you call it when something is both overrated and underrated? That’s exactly how I feel about The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. This paradox perfectly reflects its dual status: a genre-defining debut that was much lauded upon its release and still sparks debate about its true ranking in music history. The album encapsulated the zeitgeist of hip-hop’s crossover success in the late ’90s and propelled Hill to an unprecedented level of fame—particularly for a rapper, let alone a female one. It shattered barriers for women in hip-hop and neo-soul, elevating the genre's artistic credibility. Revisiting the album after years, I’m struck by how well it holds up even after over two decades. The opening sequence—Lost Ones, Ex-Factor, To Zion, and Doo Wop (That Thing)—is nothing short of phenomenal. Hill’s intricate wordplay and fiery delivery on Lost Ones set the tone, while the raw vulnerability of Ex-Factor remains as powerful as ever. On To Zion, her ode to motherhood paired with Carlos Santana’s soulful guitar creates an intimate masterpiece. Doo Wop (That Thing) blends sharp social commentary with irresistible grooves, highlighting her ability to create both hits and messages. The album continues its momentum with standout tracks like Final Hour, a brilliant showcase of Hill’s lyrical precision and spiritual introspection, and Everything Is Everything, where her hopeful energy is underscored by rich instrumentation. Even Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Hill’s playful yet powerful reinterpretation of a classic, leaves a lasting impression. Throughout, Hill masterfully blends neo-soul, hip-hop, reggae, R&B, and gospel, delivering moments of genuine greatness. Her songwriting is deeply personal but resonates universally, balancing sharp, rhythmic flows with deeply emotive ballads. Recently named the number one album on Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums list, the accolade feels, at best, highly subjective and, at worst, borderline trolling. It’s debatable whether this is even the best album Hill was involved with in the ’90s (The Score with The Fugees is a strong contender). Still, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill has undeniably influenced countless artists, from Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar, cementing its place in music history. The fact that this stands as Hill’s only studio album makes it a singular, unrepeatable statement—simultaneously a gift and a tragedy for fans of her artistry. Did/Do I own this release? Yes, I own this release—if you can call a collection of mismatched, wrongly titled MP3s "ownership." Does this release belong on the list? For sure. Would this release make my personal list? It’s a strong contender because of her sheer versatility. Will I be listening to it again? At least half of these songs, like Ex-Factor and Doo Wop (That Thing), are truly timeless and deserve their enduring acclaim.

It's an incredibly moving album. Beautiful and mature.

Still probably the best female MC of all time. This album is fantastic in about every way. Lauryn is also the most equal in talent between rapping and singing

Modern classic. Perfect blend of neo-soul and rap. All the singles are fantastic, especially Everything Is Everything

A great mix of hip-hop with R&B, soul and reggae. This is such a confident and skillful debut and has a great legacy for a very good reason

Woooooahhhhhh wooooaaaahhhhhh one star

I think this is the first album in the 70-odd that I've been presented with on this project that I feel everyone should listen to at least once in their lives. It is very clear that Ms Hill poured her heart and soul into every recording on the album, and the result is quite beautiful. I would give this album 10 stars if I could and it's definitely going into my Tidal library.

Loved the bits from the classroom talking about love. The album was sonically great, and the lyrics were interesting as well. There was R&B, hip hop, and even some reggae. Cool album, would definitely listen to it again.

Lauryn is talented as hell

Pre listening - I'm not going to like this. I detest rap and dislike hip hop - I hope this is better than that. Track 1 - Intro - 40 seconds and not even a pretence of bring music Track 2 - Lost Ones - Standard hip hop - awful Track 3 - Ex-Factor - OK song, but with really annoying sound efects added - why? Track 4 - To Zion - A Santana collaboration - which is to say pure Carlos Santana - average for him Track 5 - Doo Wop(That Thing) More hip hop - slightly better than Lost Ones Track 6 - Superstar yet more Hip Hop - irritating At this point I stopped. She obviously is a hip hop artist, which is a shame because from what I heard she has good voice, just needs some real music

really not a fan. two stars? i made it through, but barely.

Unbelievable album. A debut album at that. I hate to be that guy but if you are doing this album generator I’m assuming you are doing this for the love of the art of music. This is art. If you do not appreciate this for what it is I believe you may have some internalized bias such as racism or misogyny. I see way to many negative reviews on this masterpiece and everyone single one of them seem to stem from one of those two reasons. Again, this. Is. Pure. Art. Lauryn Hill inspired an entire generation of rap artists. We would not have gotten the Kanye we got if it wasn’t for Lauryn and this album specifically. This is truly a masterpiece, from production to musicality to composition to wordplay. Truly a spectacle of the rap genre. 5/5 and possibly my favorite album of the generator yet.

One album after giving Skepta a (high) two on the basis of interludes and excessive length, we have this which also has interludes and is even longer. But this gets away with it because of the quality of the material. Hill's voice, whether rapping or singing, is great. The singles are excellent (esp. Doo Wop). Slightly drops off in the second half, but still sneaks into a five.

lives up to every piece of hype

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is a classic, perhaps the greatest melding of hip-hop/R&B, soul/reggae. It’s a feminist statement of power and independence. Hill is a fantastic lyricist and M/C first and foremost 9.1/10

Amazing, generation-defining album.

Straight up fire 🔥

It took me a while to process "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" and decide how to review it, just like it takes a while for Lauryn Hill to show up for her concerts. But regardless of the many meandering journeys Hill's career has taken since the release of this album, it remains a masterpiece. There are a few duds scattered among the 16 tracks, but there are so many standout classics that a boring track or two can be excused. The most interesting thing about "Miseducation," though, is Hill's ability to reach such a peak only to never find it again. There have been plenty of one-hit wonders, but Hill's output with the Fugees and in her solo debut go well beyond one-hit status, but the twists and turns of her career and life have prevented audiences and fans from ever really seeing if she could sustain the success through a second album and beyond. It's fairly common for a musician to have a hit and then fade away, but it feels much less common for a singer to create such a masterpiece and then have no meaningful follow-up.

Annie loves this one. For good reason. It's a crown jewel of 90s hip hop, right? And, Lauryn Hill is just so cool. Babe too. Sister Act 2 babeliness. Her voice is so great. Raps and melodies. And, just, like, the smoky sound of her voice is so appealing. This record jams. As a musician, I'm inclined to attribute this to her excellent band. But really, it's 80% Hill. She carries everything, including the Fugees. This record makes that clear. Her multi-tracked vocal harmonies are other-worldly. She uses harmony intervals that set her apart from others. Like CSNY and Alice in Chains do. Only with soul and attitude and smokiness. God this is so good.

Her only solo album, and it continues to have more impact and appeal than many other artists have in their entire careers. Your mileage may vary on the brief interludes interspersed throughout the album (I'll admit, I'd rather they weren't included, but thankfully there aren't so many that they become annoying), but my God, there's not a clunker in the bunch of songs. I can't get enough of "Ex-Factor" and "When It Hurts So Bad". Reminds me a lot of Nina Simone, Nenah Cherry and even Joni Mitchell while still being it's own unique thing. This album deserves the praise it continues to receive, and my hunch is a major reason Lauryn Hill never really even tried to make another album is because she knew nothing could top this. By the way, my rating takes into consideration the 2 hidden tracks: the cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" and "Tell Him". They might be my 2 favorite Lauryn Hill songs, and they're what puts the album over the top into 5 territory.

A fantastic collection of what the 90s hip hop sound was.

sem defeitos

MS LAURYN HILL

Very cool album

The classroom samples were really cool and furthered the message of love. After looking at the background of the album I had a greater appreciation for Laura and her life struggles. Never really got into soul but I think this was a good introduction

amazing. a cultural staple.

Classic hip-hop album. Great R&B vibes with great writing and rap over the beats

Classic for a reason

One of the tip top hip hop albums of all times. Magnificent.

I FUCKING LOVE THIS ALBUM.

Classic

10/10

Didn't like it at first, but it's a masterpiece

Straight fire. Classic through and through.

false

My biggest surprise today was that this did not overstay its welcome despite needless length, that it has just the right amount of friction and hook to stay perpetually on, well-supplied with sharp moments that pull you closer for a moment before letting go. It’s a compellingly lazy listen. I saw Lauryn Hill play a set at the 2007 Exit festival in Novi Sad, and I’ve jumbled the memories with those of the Beatie Boys the night before: both were ragged jam-band rambles, the only distinguishing features I recall being Hill’s enormous hat and my drunken friend Dan triggering a 200,000-person roar by shouting “Beachie Boys Woo Woo!” while we were waiting for the trio to arrive. Yesterday, we listened to an outstanding debut that loosed a voice that still explores, still sets a standard that others can be marked against. Today we’ve a voice that felt like it was everywhere with everything for a while, but never returned in force. I’m not sure this record is a repeatable trick.

Captures a point in time perfectly, skilful and tuneful although overlong. Again, we didn't know how good we had it.. for some reason this album sounds like the pre-9/11 world more than any other and I love it for that

Undeniable talent: multilayered tracks with her melodic voice winding throughout like silken tendrils. She seems equally at home with singing and rapping. It's not my go-to style of music to listen to, but I can recognize the gem that this album is. And in this case, the top-tier quality trumps my personal preferences.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Haven’t listened to this in a long time, a long time. It’s easy to forget how popular it was when it came out and looking back how different it was to a lot of mainstream male-fronted hip hop and r’n’b. Skits aside, the first half absolutely rips. Lost Ones, X Factor and Doo Wop are fantastic, great lyrics, delivery, samples and arrangements. Doo Wop is my standout track but the Bam Bam interpolation and bear of Lost Ones runs it close. To Zion, Superstar and Final Hour are also great tracks, the Light My Fire interpolation and sample on Superstar is brilliantly deployed. Final Hour’s aggressive rapping and flute sample are a nice counterpoint to some of the more r’n’b style singing elsewhere. It’s of course hard to maintain that quality and it is definitely much more uneven after Final Hour. When It Hurts So Bad and I Used to Love Him descend sharply into aimless and melodically moribund territory and they both feel a bit fat dude with a 5 string bass and hackneyed r’n’b vocal runs. Forgive Them Father is decent, and Every Ghetto, Every City is excellent, a real highlight, it’s Stevie-eque funkiness is fantastic, and along with the superb Everything is Everything they are the highlights of the back half, strewn amongst the more unremarkable and humdrum 90s r’n’b workouts. It is a great album though, with some truly excellent music, it’s just a shame it suffers from CD bloat with a handful of actually quite tedious tracks and too many skits tacked on to the end of some of the tracks. Because of that I don’t think it can be a 5, so a solid 4 it is. 📚📚📚📚 Playlist submission: Doo Wop (That Thing)

Smart, confident hip hop, with reggae and soul running through.

Now I get it. I loved this

I really like how some of the songs are connected through the theme of a classroom. Overall, album is really solid. Every song is really well made and transitions well between each other. Only problem is it is a little long.

The more concept albums I hear, the less I appreciate concept albums in general. This one still easily falls on the good side of the concept album spectrum, which is refreshing. The production is really nice to me, borders on super slick 90s pop style while still sounding pretty organic and loose. Very good stuff.

Apple's recently announced top album of all time. I had never listened to this record but I've been meaning to. It feels very personal and intimate. Her range on this record is very impressive. I love the themes of love and stuff as well. The snippets of conversations really made it feel intimate. I can appreciate this album a lot but in the end, it's just not really a genre that captivates me.

The album is so human. I don't know how else to put it. It acknowledges and adresses many of the things that influence us, religion, school, our peers, societal constructs. The beats are driving and the songs were written in the context of each other in a way that is missing from many albums. This was a cohesive project and tells a clear (and well articulated) story from beginning to end.

Quite clearly a fantastic album. This time through I noticed the musical flourishes, that are a little tricky to pick up when you’re too busy being wowed by Hill’s seamless transitions between forceful rhyming and soulful singing. I’m talking about that feeling in Lost Ones that the whole song is about to blow up, but the firm hand on the production that prevents it from doing so; I’m talking about the background voices that make Doo Wop (That Thing) sound like a hmm-ing room full of girlfriends. My only gripe, and it’s a mild one, is that I don’t quite feel the album sustains it all the way through, but when it hits it hits hard.

In my lifetime, I’ve made three or four attempts to get into this album to understand the hype behind it. My conclusion is that it is mediocre - nice instrumentals but a bit too long and few standout moments. It’s just pretty bland R&B with hip-hop drums and a bit of rapping. There’s a couple of great tracks (Lost Ones and Doo Wop), but the rest is pretty boring.

🎧Handful of really amazing songs, but pretty bloated overall. There’s probably a damn near perfect album in here if trimmed down to a single LP. Skits/dialogue are annoying and unnecessary too. Standout songs: Ex- Factor, Doo Wop (That Thing), Everything is Everything.

Come in, drop a 5 star album, and bounce. Now that's living the dream.

Heard it before, and before I even listen to it today, its a 5.

Game changer. Lauryn shows 3 things in this album: 1. She is the greatest female rapper to ever live 2. She can write better than all male rappers 3. She can sing better than all female rappers and probably top in the whole industry. Thats just her. The album is an absolute treasure deserving of beingnin the conversation of best album by a female rapper ever. Although it has soul and gospel and a lot of atuff mixed in there, the lyrics are absolute bombs with no chill. If this shit dont make you feel pain you have never been in love. While Wyclef killed the league with his concept album the carnaval which is one of my favorites, this is just perfection and although I was team wyclef after the break-up, this album remade me thibk about my actions and desicions. The older I get the better it is. Must listen every single human being

One of my favourites. Incredible album 👌🏼.

What separates Lauren Hill from not just all the piers of not just her era but really modern music writ large. It begins with that voice. Not one that reaches for the rafters but rather finds all the spaces in between. Lead, back up, harmony, chorus, from rapping to crooning to toasting - she covers it. Sometimes several simultaneously. Each iteration sounds unique - filled with emotion and confidence. Sh seems to take the best of Stevie wonder, joni Mitchell and a just a touch of island spice. Singular. So much so maybe she knew better to leave week enough alone.

It’s really sad that Lauryn Hill is never going to be able to pull this off again, it’s basically flawless. She’s just as good at rapping as she is singing, and it’s loaded with memorable harmonies and verses. She deserved the world and was close to getting it, but at least we’ll always have this. A

iconic, one of the best of all time - r&b-rap vibes, sort of across between ann peebles/parquet courts/fugees/missy elliot (maybe??)

Really enjoyed this -- it's one of those albums that I just never got around to, even though everyone was saying at the time how brilliant it was. Wasn't in a hip-hop/soul place in my life then. It's a little overstuffed and some of the overdubbed flourishes, at least to me, detract a bit from some of the tunefulness. But Ms. Hill has bars for days and a beautiful, beautiful voice. Unexpected bangers: Forgive them Father, Final Hour, Ex-Factor

LOVED IT. ICONIC.

I listened to this album so many times.

One of the best albums ever ever ever. Untouchable!

just an absolute stone cold classic ... no two ways about it

Just a top-to-bottom perfect album.

Grew up on The Fugees and when this album dropped I was stoked. Lots of love for this body of work and a product of NJ.

Lauryn Hill said her heart was in Zion I wish her heart still was in rhymin’

A seminal album of my teens till today. I love that the mayor of the Newark was Lauryn Hills school teacher and is the voice of the convo with kids about love. Such a beautiful interstitial moment

Beautiful, just that. Will keep coming back again and again to it. A 9, maybe 10 in the future.

Superb

The more I listen, the more I appreciate this. 4 plus that I am rounding up.

What an extraordinary album. The consistency was also remarkable because albums of this length tend to dip at points but this was one was incredible throughout. Favorites: Ex-Factor, Doo Wop (That Thing), Forgive Them Father

Pure nostalgia. My first boyfriend bought me this for my birthday.

BEST SONGS: - Ex-Factor - To Zion - SuperStar - Everything is Everything

This told a good story, and I felt the emotional and passion in each verse. A great listen.

Hip hop beats & old school harmonies. Love dis

This is one of my all time favourite albums that has really stood the test of time for me. I even love the sections between with the school students.

All-timer.

Class

The fact that she’s arguably got one of the best female rapper voices of all time but can sing like a real diva is a demonstration of Lauryn’s versatility and sheer brilliance. Always loved the classroom interludes throughout the album where the children and teacher talk about the meaning of love. LH’s career could have sunk big time after the big Fugees fall out, yet she went out on her own and dropped this album…take a bow! what a star!

From beginning to end A long winding ride Funk, soul, R&B blend On Lauryn's Hill I side Musically rich, interesting Cute and funny interludes Tax fraud needs arresting She amongst the dudes

Amazing!